Electric-wire support



(No Model.)

F. O. BLAGKWELL. ELECTRIC WIRE SUPPORT.

. Patented Mar. '15,-1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS O. BLACKWELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE THOMSON- HOUSTON ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC-WIRE SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,844, dated March 15, 1892.

Application filed June 17, 1889. $erial No. 314,599- (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS 0. BLACK- WELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Line Supporters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a line-supporterfor an overhead conductor on an electric railway; and it consists in a' holder of malleable material having a groove in one side adapted to contain the line-Wire, with projecting lips adapted to be bent down onto the line-wire in such a Way that a partof the holder will come over the contact-surface of the conductor, this part being tapered down to meet the wire and form a continuation of the bearing-surface upon which the conductor-trolley is adapted to ride.

My inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure I is a side elevation, and Fig. II an end elevation, of my holder.

In Fig. I, A represents a line-wire, and B represents the holder, grooved to receive the wire and having lips made of bronze, malleable iron, or similar metal, which can be bent into shape around the wire. The wire is received between the lips C and D, and these lips are preferably out of line with one another, as shown, so that they may pass each other and get a firm hold on the wire. Before being applied to the wirethis holder has the form shown in full lines in Fig. II, an opening being left in its side sufficient to take in the wire A. After the insertion of the wire the lips C and D of the opening are hammered or closed down upon the wire to retain it firmly in place. The part terminating in lip C is adapted to extend over or around the contact-surface of the wire when bent down into place, so that the wire is firmly gripped and retained in the holder. The part which goes over the wire is tapered, so as to form a continuation of the bearing-surface of wire A and present a smooth path for the contact device as it passes along the wire.

The customary method of supporting the wire heretofore has been to provide comparatively shallow grooved holders, to which the wire is soldered. The heat of the soldering operation, however, makes the wire brittle and easily broken at these points by reason of the continued vibration of the wire caused by the trolley. Moreover, as a means of adjustment it is not nearly so secure and necessitates holders of some considerable length, adding to the weight of the line structure and making long chords on curves.

VVha-t I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A holder supporting an electric-railway supply-wire, having lips of malleable metal bent down upon opposite sides of the wire and arranged out of line with one another, as described.

2. A holder supporting an electric-railway supply-Wire, having a lipof malleable metal bent down on and gripping the Wire and of a length such that it extends around the contact-surface of the wire,'as described.

FRANCIS O. BLACKWVELL.

Vitnesses:

R. W. BLACKWELL, FREDK. H. HOWELL. 

